The sentencing was often emotional. About two dozen supporters stood behind Bass as his attorney, Kenny James, asked for probation in the case. Byron Merritt, Elaine Merritt’s husband glared as five people addressed Reynolds on Bass’ behalf, saying what a good officer he had been and what a good husband and father he was.

Just before sentencing was passed, Bass turned to face Byron Merritt.

“Mr. Merritt, I’m terribly sorry for you loss,” he said. “If there was any way I could take it back, I would if I could.”

Byron Merritt, a retired Alabama State Trooper, seemed unimpressed with the apology, when it came his time to address the court. He told Reynolds of his love for his wife, and how his marriage and life ended that day on Highway 231.

“There may be a day for forgiveness, but today ain’t it,” Byron Merritt said, turning to face Bass, as the two men stood before the bench. “May you burn in hell!”

Reynolds also didn’t mince words when it came his turn to comment after passing the maximum sentenced allowed by law.

“Mr. Bass, 97 miles per hour on Highway 231 at 3 in the morning or 4 in the afternoon is a highly reckless thing to do,” Reynolds said. “I’ve referred to the call you were going to as a cat-in-a-tree call. Your action was extremely reckless and it cost Elaine Merritt her life. Now, I’ve done what I was supposed to do.”

Following a two-day trial in September, the jury returned a guilty verdict on criminally negligent homicide, a lesser-included offense. Manslaughter is a Class B felony with a punishment range of two to 20 years in prison. Criminally negligent homicide is a misdemeanor with a maximum punishment of a year and a day in the county jail.

Bass was driving a marked patrol car. The indictment in the case reads that Bass was traveling at an excessive speed, was not using the patrol car’s emergency lights and siren and conducted an improper lane change. The crash occurred about 4 p.m. on a Saturday afternoon on U.S. Highway 231 and Cambridge Drive in Wetumpka.

During testimony for the state, three drivers who were traveling southbound on Highway 231 and witnessed the crash said Bass was driving at a high rate of speed, wasn’t using his emergency lights or siren and veered into the center turn lane before hitting Merritt’’s Honda Pilot SUV. She was crossing the southbound lanes of Highway 231 and was struck in the center turn lane, previous testimony brought out.

Bass was the last defense witness called. He told his attorney. Kenny James, that his memories of that day are “real vague.” He was dispatched to a call of a possible intoxicated driver at the Chevron Station at Highway 231 and Redland Road, he said.

“Do you recall turning your lights on?” James asked him.

“Yes, around 231 and South Main Street,” Bass said.

He also said that he had his siren set to where it would sound when he used the Dodge Charger patrol car’s horn. Bass went on to testify that he turned his emergency lights on and off as he was traveling down Highway 231, having them on when he was driving through congested traffic.

“I remember turning the lights back on at Wal-Mart,” Bass said, continuing that he had the lights and siren on when he was “… exceeding the limits of the traffic laws. I remember being in the fast lane before the impact and then seeing a dark vehicle in front of me.”

He said he didn’t remember the crash.

He received a broken hip and several broken ribs in the wreck, he told the jury. A psychiatrist has diagnosed him with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in the wake of the crash, he said. Before Bass took the stand, his wife, Kristin testified. She said her husband had made suicide attempts after the crash. He is also taking medication for stress and anxiety, he told James.

During previous testimony for the state, Gary Johnson, an expert at accident reconstruction, testified that the Crash Data Recorder on Bass’ patrol car showed he was going 97 miles per hour about three seconds before the crash.

Previous testimony brought out that Merritt had gone to Wetumpka Urgent Care that day to get an injury to her foot checked out. The doors were locked just before the office was closing. She was driving across the southbound lanes to the northbound lanes of Highway 231 when the crash occurred. Her SUV was struck on the driver’s side. The impact sent the vehicle airborne where it traveled for about 30 feet before coming back down to the ground.